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United States Patent | 6,227,588 |
Cassoni | May 8, 2001 |
A gripper assembly for clamping an article has a first clamp member mounted on a first shaft defining an axis and a second clamp member. An actuator for pivoting the first clamp member relative to the second clamp member around the first axis from an open position to a closed position in which the gripper is able to clamp an article is provided. The actuator has a follower link which is rotatably mounted on a second shaft defining a second axis different to that first axis. The actuator is coupled to the first clamp member by at least one guided compression spring.
Inventors: | Cassoni; Robert Paul (Centerville, OH) |
Assignee: | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft (Heidelberger, DE) |
Appl. No.: | 251861 |
Filed: | February 17, 1999 |
Current U.S. Class: | 294/104; 198/803.9; 294/99.1 |
Intern'l Class: | B66C 001/42; B65G 047/86 |
Field of Search: | 294/99.1,104,116 271/204,206,268,277 198/803.3,803.9 |
3265429 | Aug., 1966 | Shatt | 294/104. |
3614151 | Oct., 1971 | Shadle | 294/104. |
5064187 | Nov., 1991 | Muller | 294/99. |
5374093 | Dec., 1994 | Klopfenstein | 294/104. |
5395151 | Mar., 1995 | Eberle | 294/104. |
5871242 | Feb., 1999 | Whitney | 294/104. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
0546512A1 | Jun., 1993 | EP. |